Not Applicable
Not Applicable
The present invention relates to the field of telecommunications call switching and transport.
Broadband systems are being developed and implemented. Broadband systems provide telecommunications providers with many benefits, including greater bandwidth, more efficient use of bandwidth, and the ability to integrate voice, data, and video communications. These broadband systems provide callers with increased capabilities at lower costs.
Switches and other communication devices use broadband systems, such as a synchronous optical network (SONET) ring or a synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH) system, to connect calls to other switches and communication devices. The switches, for example, determine how a call is to be connected and control the switching over the broadband system. In addition, switches, such as tandem switches, are used to concentrate telecommunication traffic between networks, switches, and other communication devices.
However, controlling call switching and connection functions from switches and some other communication devices is expensive. Moreover, intelligent network routing and processing functions are limited. In addition, conventional switching systems do not provide highly efficient call concentration and call routing in networks such as metropolitan area networks (MANs). Therefore, there is a need for a system that more efficiently and more easily provides connections for switches and other communications devices over broadband networks, such as the SONET ring or the SDH system. An effective system is needed that can control switching and call connections between system devices on a call-by-call basis in an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) environment.
The present invention comprises a broadband system for connecting calls that use time division multiplexing. The system comprises a SONET ring that is adapted to interconnect devices coupled to the SONET ring. The SONET ring comprises SONET multiplexers coupled by SONET paths. The SONET multiplexers are adapted to add calls to, and drop calls from, the SONET ring. The system further comprises an ATM cross connect system that is coupled to the SONET ring. The ATM cross connect system comprises ATM cross connect devices. The ATM cross connect devices are adapted to provide provisioned ATM connections over the SONET ring. The system further comprises a plurality of ATM interworking units that are coupled to the ATM cross connect system. The ATM interworking units are adapted to interwork calls with selected ATM connections in response to control messages. The selected ATM connections are provisioned between selected ATM interworking units by the ATM cross connect system over the SONET ring. The system also comprises a signaling processor system that is adapted to receive call signaling for the calls, to process the call signaling to select the ATM connections for the calls, and to send the control messages to the elected ATM interworking units. The control messages designate the selected ATM connections.
The present invention also comprises a broadband system for connecting a call having a time division multiplex format. The system comprises a SONET ring that is adapted to interconnect devices coupled to the SONET ring. The SONET ring comprises a plurality of SONET multiplexers that are coupled by a SONET path. The SONET multiplexers are adapted to add the call to, and drop the call from, the SONET ring. The system further comprises an ATM cross connect system comprising a plurality of ATM cross connect devices coupled to the SONET multiplexers. The ATM cross connect devices are adapted to provide a provisioned ATM connection through the SONET multiplexers over the SONET path. Still further, the system comprises a plurality of ATM interworking units coupled to the ATM cross connect devices. The ATM interworking units are adapted to interwork the call with the provisioned ATM connection in response to control messages. The provisioned ATM connection is provisioned by the ATM cross connects between the ATM interworking units through the SONET multiplexers over the SONET ring. The system also comprises a signaling processor system that is adapted to receive call signaling for the call, to process the call signaling to select the ATM connection for the call, and to send the control messages to the ATM interworking units. The control messages designate the selected ATM connection.
The present invention also is directed to a broadband system for connecting a call over a SONET ring that is adapted to interconnect devices coupled to the SONET ring. The call has a time division multiplex format and has user communications and call signaling. The system comprises a SONET multiplexer that is coupled to the SONET ring. The SONET multiplexer is adapted to add the call to the SONET ring. The system also comprises an ATM cross connect that is coupled to the SONET multiplexer. The ATM cross connect is adapted to provide a provisioned ATM connection through the SONET multiplexer over the SONET ring. The system also comprises an ATM interworking unit coupled to the ATM cross connect. The ATM interworking unit is adapted to interwork the user communications with the ATM connection in response to a control message. The ATM connection is provisioned by the ATM cross connect from the ATM interworking unit through the SONET multiplexer over the SONET ring. The system further comprises a signaling processor that is adapted to process the call signaling to select the ATM connection for the call from among a plurality of connections and to send the control message to the ATM interworking unit designating the ATM connection.
Still further, the present invention is directed to a broadband system for connecting a call over a SONET ring that is adapted to interconnect devices coupled to the SONET ring. The call has call signaling and user communications. The system comprises a signaling processor that is adapted to receive the call signaling for the call, to process the call signaling to select an ATM connection for the call, and to send a control message designating the selected ATM connection. The system also comprises an ATM interworking unit that is adapted to receive the control message from the signaling processor, to receive the user communications, and to interwork the use communications for the call between a non-ATM connection and the selected ATM connection in response to the control message. The system includes a SONET multiplexer that is adapted to provide access to the SONET ring for the selected ATM connection. The system also includes an ATM cross connect that is adapted to provision the selected ATM connection from the ATM interworking unit through the SONET multiplexer over the SONET ring. The call is transported over the provisioned selected ATM connection from the ATM interworking unit, though the ATM cross connect, through the SONET multiplexer, and over the SONET ring.
Further still, the present invention is directed to a broadband system for connecting a call having a time division multiplex format over a broadband ring. The call has call signaling and user communications. The system comprises a signaling processor that is adapted to receive the call signaling for the call, to process the call signaling to select a selected connection for the call from among a plurality of connections, and to send the control message designating the selected connection. The system comprises an add/drop multiplexer that is adapted to provide the call access to the broadband ring. The system also comprises a cross connect that is adapted to provision the selected connection through the add/drop multiplexer over the broadband ring. The system further comprises an interworking unit that is adapted to receive the user communications and to receive the control message from the signaling processor and, in response thereto, to interwork the user communications for the call to asynchronous transfer mode cells that identify the selected connection. The interworking unit maps the asynchronous transfer mode cells to broadband frames and transports the broadband frames over the selected connection. The connection is provisioned by the cross connect from the interworking unit through the add/drop multiplexer over the broadband ring.
The present invention is further directed to a method for connecting a call that uses time division multiplexing. The method comprises provisioning an ATM connection over a SONET ring. The method further comprises receiving and processing call signaling to select the ATM connection for the call from among a plurality of connections. A control message is transported designating the selected ATM connection for the call. The control message is received and, in response thereto, the call is interworked to the selected ATM connection. The call is transported on the selected ATM connection over the SONET ring.
The present invention is further directed to a method for connecting a call that uses time division multiplexing. The method comprises provisioning an ATM connection over a SONET ring between a first ATM interworking unit and a second ATM interworking unit. The method comprises receiving and processing call signaling in a signaling processor to select the ATM connection for the call from among a plurality of connections. A control message is transported from the signaling processor designating the selected ATM connection for the call. The control message is received in the first ATM interworking unit and, in response thereto, the call is interworked from a first non-ATM connection with the selected ATM connection. The call is transported on the selected ATM connection over the SONET ring to the second ATM interworking unit. The call is interworked in the second interworking unit from the selected ATM connection to a second non-ATM connection.
In addition, the present invention is directed to a system for connecting a call in a broadband ring. The call has user communications and call signaling. The user communications are interworked to asynchronous transfer mode cells and then mapped to broadband frames. The system transports the broadband frames on a selected connection over the broadband ring. The selected connection is a virtual connection. The system comprises a signaling processor that is adapted to receive the call signaling, to process the call signaling to select a second connection, and to transport a control message that designates the selected second connection. Included is an add/drop multiplexer that is adapted to drop the broadband frames for the call from the broadband ring. A cross connect also is included. The cross connect is adapted to provide the provisioned selected connection from the broadband ring through the add/drop multiplexer. The system further includes an interworking unit that is adapted to receive the broadband frames for the call from the selected connection through the add/drop multiplexer and through the cross connect. The interworking unit receives the control message from the signaling processor, converts the broadband frames to user communications having a communication format, and transports the user communications over the selected second connection.
In another aspect, the present invention is a system for connecting a call in a broadband system. The call has user communications and call signaling. The system comprises a first communication device that is adapted to transport the call and a second communication device that is adapted to receive the call. The system comprises a signaling processor that is adapted to receive the call signaling, to process the call signaling to select a first connection and a second connection, to transport a first control message that designates the selected first connection, and to transport a second control message that designates the selected second connection. The first selected connection comprises a virtual path over a broadband path. The virtual path is provisioned over the broadband path in the broadband system. The selected second connection connects to the second communication device. The system further comprises a first interworking unit that is adapted to receive the user communications in a communication format, to receive the first control message from the signaling processor, to convert the user communications to asynchronous transfer mode cells that identify the selected first connection that was designated in the first control message, and to transport the asynchronous transfer mode cells. Also comprising the system is a first cross connect that is adapted to receive the asynchronous transfer mode cells from the first interworking unit and to cross connect the asynchronous transfer mode cells to the virtual path for the selected first connection. A first add/drop multiplexer is included to receive the asynchronous transfer mode cells from the first cross connect and to add the asynchronous transfer mode cells to the broadband path for the selected first connection.
The system further comprises a second add/drop multiplexer that is adapted to receive the asynchronous transfer mode cells on the broadband path and to drop the asynchronous transfer mode cells from the broadband path. A second cross connect is in the system to receive the asynchronous transfer mode cells from the second add/drop multiplexer and to cross connect the asynchronous transfer mode cells according to the provisioned virtual path. The system includes a second interworking unit that is adapted to receive the asynchronous transfer mode cells from the second cross connect and to receive the second control message from the signaling processor. The second interworking unit converts the asynchronous transfer mode cells to user communications having a communication format and transports the user communications to the second communication device over the selected second connection.
In still another aspect, the present invention is directed to a system for connecting a call in a broadband system. The call has user communications and call signaling. The system comprises a signaling processor and a broadband interface. The signaling processor is adapted to receive the call signaling and to process the call signaling to select a connection. The signaling processor transports a control message that designates the selected connection. The selected connection comprises a virtual path over a broadband ring in the broadband system. The virtual path is provisioned over the broadband ring. The broadband interface is adapted to receive the user communications in a communication format and to receive the control message from the signaling processor. The broadband interface interworks the user communications to asynchronous transfer mode cells that identify the selected connection and maps the asynchronous transfer mode cells to broadband frames. The broadband interface transports the broadband frames on the provisioned virtual path over the broadband ring.